Mixed reactions from traders to parking change

There were mixed reactions to new parking charges at Buckingham’s Cornwall’s Meadow this week.

In a six-month trial, Aylesbury Vale District Council (AVDC) has introduced a 50p charge for up to three hours.

Previously, the first hour at Cornwall’s Meadow was free.

Parking in the Western Avenue and Stratford Fields car parks is now free again.

The change is being trialled following extensive consultation with the Buckingham Traders’ Association and town and district councillors.

At Fireside cafe on Meadow Walk, waitress Sasha Goodman said: “Everyone’s been talking about it. They say it’s unfair. A lot of mums come for coffee mornings after the school runs. A lot of them can’t work because they’ve got young children and they’re all moaning.”

Paul Scotney of Solstice Cycles said customer complaints were “neverending”.

He said: “It’s one of the reasons we’re moving up to the industrial estate in March.

“Being a destination store, one hour was plenty for people dropping by for repairs or picking something up.”

But Jo Watson of Dandy Lions and Amanda Thirlby of Moss said nobody had complained yet.

Tryph Foster, of Canvas art shop, said: “If I’ve got my shopper’s head on, I find it very annoying because I’ve got to scrabble around for 50p.

“But from a trader’s point of view, I want people to shop in the town and not just pop in for the free hour.”